Mr Birling Flashcards
‘Portentous’
‘Hardheaded’
Adjective very serious and significant especially with regard with future events, excessively serious or pompous ——-‘ portentous’
Adjective ‘hard’ implies he won’t change his beliefs are narrow minded
All of this foreshadows his inability to change his mind set and beliefs. He is one- dimensional and undergoes no significant changes
‘Lower costs, higher prices’
Capitalism as exploitation and monopoly
Punctuation emphasises the disparity between the classes. Control pay and charges- everyone is exploited. Immoral actions
Mr birling
Mr birling is used to represent the cautiousness of capitalism
His character is used to critics the complacency of capitalist prosperity
Priestly criticises the idea that capitalist believes understand human nature
Think there won’t be a war
‘Everything to loose and nothing to gain’
People aren’t like, they can be emotional
Birling doesn’t understand war
The Great Depression meant that people were too poor to buy product so capitalism breaks down
‘Panic stricken’
Priestly indicates here that birlings defiance and bravado are flint and the audience see someone who is so blindly wrong we wounded if he has been really in control in the way he would like to think
Mr birling when inspector arrives
His language changes when the inspector arrives
He goes from long speeches to sentences which are short and fragmented
Shows hesitation, guilt and powerlessness in the inspectors presence
It also becomes colloquial ‘y’know’
Showing his authority is breaking down
The stage directions reflect his inability to sympathise. ‘Triumphantly’ -having won a battle or contest; victorious feeling.
Presenter as the villain-capitalism is the villain.
Social position is important to Burling. Stage direction foreshadows his behaviour and attitude. Also reminding us of what the engagement is important.
